Congressman Gonzalez Stands with Guadalupe County Leaders Against Proposed Landfill
WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) wrote to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality expressing concerns with Post Oak Clean Green Inc.'s landfill permit application, which will be heard by the Commission tomorrow, Wednesday, August 8, 2018, in Austin. The proposed landfill site is located at 7787 FM 1150, approximately 12.1 miles east of Seguin and just south of Interstate Highway 10.
Stop Post Oak Dump, the Guadalupe County Groundwater District, the City of Schertz, the City of Seguin, the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation, and Guadalupe County, oppose construction and operation of the proposed landfill, citing health and safety concerns about its chosen location.
"Guadalupe County residents oppose the construction and operation of the proposed Post Oak landfill, and I believe their opposition is sound, well-founded, and based in facts," Congressman Gonzalez said. "As a member of Congress, my chief responsibility is to raise the standard of living for constituents I represent and lead efforts that look after their health, safety, and well-being. A landfill in Guadalupe County would only hurt communities there."
Read the full letter below and attached:
August 8, 2018
Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D., P.E., MC 100
Chairman
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Toby Baker, MC 100
Commissioner
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Jon Niermann, MC 100
Commissioner
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Stephanie Bergeron Perdue, MC 109
Interim Executive Director
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Dear Commissioners,
Although I am unable to join you today, I am grateful for the opportunity to submit this letter into the record for today's Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) vote on TCEQ Docket No. 2012-0905-MSW, Consideration of the Administrative Law Judges' Proposal for Decision on Remand and Order regarding the Application of Post Oak Clean Green, Inc., for new Type I Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Permit No. 2378.
I am proud to represent the people of Guadalupe County in the U.S. House of Representatives. Today, I stand in solidarity with the hard-working and dedicated individuals of Stop Post Oak Dump, the Guadalupe County Groundwater District, the City of Schertz, the City of Seguin, the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation, and Guadalupe County, on their quest to protect their community, their water supply, and their quality of life. I also rise in support of military readiness and the brave men and women who make up the U.S. Air Force. Our warfighters' ability to respond to the growing number of complex threats we face abroad is predicated on proper training in a safe airspace and the availability of functioning equipment.
Water is a precious resource and every community deserves access to a reliable - if not abundant - supply of potable water. As many of us are aware, Guadalupe County and the surrounding areas are growing. Thanks to the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, these communities have been able to keep up with that growth. As proposed, the Post Oak Landfillwould be located in the Aquifer's sensitive recharge zone. Any leak at any time will jeopardize Guadalupe County's ability to satisfy a rising demand for water and put residents' health at risk, and in fact, would threaten municipal water supplies all along the I-35 corridor. It is our responsibility to encourage growth in a way that raises the standard of living and preserves the integrity of our natural resources.
In addition, pilots from Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph conduct critical training activities at the Seguin Auxiliary Airfield, in close proximity to site of the proposed landfill and within established flight patterns. By increasing the likelihood of bird strikes, the proposed Post Oak landfill could result in loss of life, impede training exercises and diminish our national defense capabilities. We should be doing all that we can to give our military personnel safe training conditions and avoid adding to the recent trend of military training accidents. Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph is vital to the economy of our region and we must protect its mission by protecting its pilots.
My constituents oppose the construction and operation of the proposed Post Oak landfill, and I believe their opposition is sound, well-founded, and based in fact. As the Commission moves to vote on the Permit Application for the Post Oak Landfill, I ask that you fully examine the facts and give the concerns of Stop Post Oak Dump, Guadalupe County Groundwater District, the City of Schertz, the City of Seguin, the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation, and Guadalupe County full and fair consideration under all applicable rules and regulations. I appreciate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Vicente Gonzalez
Member of Congress
cc: See Attached List